Telephone holder for bed side rail

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for detachably attaching to a bed side rail and supporting a telephone thereon. The apparatus includes V-shaped slots for slipping over and receiving the side rail horizontal bar and a spring clamp therebelow adapted for detachable attachment to a side rail vertical bar. The telephone support surface can be horizontal or at an angle from the vertical. The telephone is detachably attached to the apparatus. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes slots adapted to receive and frictionally engage the side rail horizontal bar.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of telephonesupporting apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relatesto a support apparatus which is detachably attachable to a bed side railfor supporting a telephone thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, our society is more widely using telephones and theavailability and use of a telephone has become not only convenient butalmost a necessity. In view of this need, hospitals now providesubstantially all bed-ridden patients with a bed side telephone. Mostoften, the telephone is placed on a bed side stand adjacent to the bed.However, locating the telephone on the bed side stand is inconvenient.Depending on the condition of the patient and other hospital equipmentaround the bed, it can be very difficult for the patient to reach to thetop of the bed side stand for accessing the telephone.

As a result of the above-described inconvenience, some patients placethe telephone directly on the bed on one side thereof on top of the bedcovers. As can be appreciated, this is also inconvenient and restrictivein not allowing the patient use of the entire bed. Additionally,inadvertent pulling of the bed covers, such as when the patient isasleep, causes the telephone to tip or otherwise roll and causing thehandset to be inadvertently disjoined from the telephone.

Solutions to the foregoing problems have been to provide hospital bedtelephone brackets or holders which are attached to a bed side rail andwhich function to support the telephone thereon. Examples of such bedside rail telephone holders are disclosed in Jackson, U.S. Pat. No.3,802,657; Hamm, U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,154; Pruente et al., U.S. Pat. No.4,432,522; Herron et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,992; and, Rioux, Jr., U.S.Pat. No. 4,998,277. Although these telephone brackets and holdersfunction to support a telephone on a bed side rail, they haveshortcomings and drawbacks. In general, these prior telephone bracketsand holders are capable of only holding a telephone on a bed side railand must be stored when not in use in a separate location from that ofthe telephone. Thus, when the telephone is on the bed side stand, thebracket must be stored elsewhere. Additionally, the prior telephonebrackets and holders do not necessarily provide a positive attachmentbetween the holder or bracket and the bed side rail and also do notprovide a positive attachment between the telephone and the bracket orholder. Therefore, t is possible for the bracket or holder to bedislodged from the side rail or for the telephone to be dislodged fromthe bracket or holder itself.

Accordingly, a need exists for a bed side rail telephone holder/bracketthat positively attaches to the bed side rail and that also provides apositive attachment between the holder/bracket and the telephonesupported thereon. Additionally, a need exists for eliminating thestorage problem of the holder/bracket when it is not attached to the bedside rail. Further yet, the holder/bracket must be generally sturdy andattractive to consumers yet must be generally inexpensive tomanufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the principal object of the present invention to overcome theabove-discussed disadvantages associated with prior bed side railtelephone holders and brackets.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages associated with priorbed side rail telephone brackets and holders by providing an apparatusthat detachably attaches to the bed side rail and which is capable ofsupporting a telephone both when attached to the bed side rail and whennot attached and, for example, placed on the bed side table. Forpositive attachment to the bed side rail, the apparatus includes a pairof side walls each of which have a slot adapted for selectivelyreceiving the horizontal bar of the bed side rail. A support wallextends between the side walls and is adapted for supporting thetelephone thereon. Below the side wall slots a spring clamp is providedfor detachably attaching to the vertical bar of the bed side rail. Thus,by placing the side wall slots onto the side rail horizontal bar and,thereafter, causing the spring clamp to be attached to the vertical barof the bed side rail, a generally positive attachment is providedbetween the apparatus and the bed side rail.

Preferably, so as to provide a more positive attachment, the side wallslots are generally V-shaped thereby wedgingly receiving the bed siderail horizontal bar and, further, for accommodating different size ofhorizontal bars. Each of the side walls also include a flat edge adaptedfor supporting the telephone on a flat horizontal surface when detachedfrom the bed side rail. The telephone support wall can be horizontallydisposed or at an angle with respect to the vertical so as toaccommodate different types of telephones and so as to place thetelephone at a convenient angle.

A positive attachment is also provided between the apparatus and thetelephone. In the preferred embodiment, the telephone is detachablyattached to the support wall with a fastening material such as Velcro®.This fastening material includes a first patch affixed to the supportwall and a second patch affixed to the telephone. One of the patchesincludes a pile material and the other includes hook material such thatthe pile and hook material are detachably attachable to one another.

In another embodiment, the apparatus does not include a spring clampbut, rather, is provided with side walls that each include a slotslightly smaller in cross-section than the bed side rail horizontal barand which are, thus, adapted to receive and frictionally engage thehorizontal bar. The support wall, again, extends between the side wallsfor supporting the telephone thereon and complimentary fasteningmaterial is provided between the support wall and telephone forpositively detachably attaching the telephone thereon. This embodimentis preferred when the bed side rail horizontal bar is generally ellipticin cross section such that the side wall slots are elongate and conformto the horizontal bar cross section shape. Thus, the frictionalengagement therebetween prevents inadvertent radial movement of theapparatus around the horizontal bar.

In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to an apparatusfor detachably attaching to a bed side rail and supporting a telephone.The bed side rail includes a horizontal bar and a vertical bar. Theapparatus includes a pair of side walls, each side wall having a slotadapted for selectively receiving the horizontal bar. A support wall isprovided and extends between the side walls for supporting a telephonethereon. A mechanism is provided vertically below the side wall slotsfor contacting the bed side rail vertical bar in a manner whereby theapparatus is detachably attached to the bed side rail by placing thehorizontal bar in the slots and the mechanism in contact with thevertical bar below the horizontal bar.

In one form thereof, the present invention is directed to an apparatusfor detachably attaching to a bed side rail and supporting a telephone.The bed side rail includes a horizontal bar. The apparatus includes apair of side walls each having a slot slightly smaller than a crosssection of the horizontal bar and adapted to receive and frictionallyengage the horizontal bar. A support wall extends between the side wallsfor supporting a telephone thereon. Complimentary fastening material isprovided between the support wall and a telephone for detachablyattaching the telephone to the support wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features of and objects of this inventionand the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and theinvention itself will be better understood by reference to the followingdescription of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hospital bed with bed side rails andwhereupon an apparatus according to the present invention is detachablyattached for supporting a telephone;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the presentinvention and incorporating a support wall which is generallyhorizontally disposed;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 according tothe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of an apparatusaccording to the present invention shown detachably attached to a bedside rail horizontal bar and supporting a telephone thereon;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7according to the present invention; and,

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7according to the present invention.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The exemplifications set out herein illustrate preferred embodiments ofthe invention in one form thereof and such exemplifications are not tobe construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure or the scope of theinvention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a hospital bed 10 havingside rails 12. Side rails 12 are selectively movable vertically up anddown so as to be in the position shown to prevent the patient fromfalling off of bed 10 or in a retracted position (not shown) forallowing the patient to easily get on and off the bed. Side rails 12include an upper horizontal bar 14, a plurality of vertical bars 16 anda lower horizontal bar 18.

An apparatus generally designated by the numeral 20 is shown, accordingto the present invention, for detachably attaching to bed side rail 12and supporting a telephone 22 thereon. Telephone 22 includes a handset24 adapted for resting on telephone 22 and being electrically connectedthereto via a flexible telephone cord 26.

Apparatus 20 includes side walls 28 attached to one another with a pairof elongate members 30 extending between and attached to the side walls28 with screws, adhesive or other suitable fastening means (not shown).It is noted that the upper surface 34 of elongate members 30 and edges32 of side walls 28 in this preferred embodiment form a support wall forsupporting the telephone 22 thereon.

V-shaped slots generally designated by the numeral 36 are formed or cutinto each of side walls 28 and are adapted for selectively receiving thehorizontal bar 14 of side rails 12. V-shaped slots 36 include edges 38for contacting upper horizontal bar 14. As can be appreciated, theV-shaped slots 36 provide a means by which the horizontal bar 14 can bewedgingly received therein as shown in FIG. 2 for a more positiveattachment. Additionally, the V-shaped slots 36 provide versatility inreceiving different size of horizontal bars 14.

A horizontal bracket member 40 also extends between side walls 28 and isattached to side walls 28 by screws, adhesive or other suitablefastening means (not shown). Horizontal member 40 is provided forsupporting side walls 28 and, additionally, for attaching thereto amechanism for contacting a bed side rail vertical bar 16. Preferably, asshown in the drawings, a spring clamp 42 is attached to horizontalbracket member 40 and is detachably attachable to vertical bar 16.Accordingly, apparatus 20 can be positively attached to side rail 12 byfirst placing the side rail horizontal bar 14 within slots 36 and,thereafter, pushing spring clamp 42 onto vertical bar 16 for detachablyattachment thereto as shown in FIG. 2.

Each of side walls 28 further include a flat support edge 44 whichtogether form a flat surface. In this fashion, when apparatus 20 isdetached from bed side rail 12, it can be placed on a flat horizontalsurface such as a table whereat the apparatus 20 may continue supportingtelephone 22. Thus, there is no need to store apparatus 20 when not inuse. Rather, apparatus 20, when detached from the bed side rail 12, ismerely moved to a table or other horizontal flat surface and usedthereat.

Apparatus 20 further advantageously provides a positive attachmentbetween telephone 22 and apparatus 20 so as to prevent inadvertentdislodging and to prevent telephone 22 from falling from apparatus 20.In this regard, the preferred embodiment includes complimentaryfastening means between the apparatus telephone support wall and thetelephone 22 for detachably attaching the telephone to the support wallof apparatus 20. More preferably, the fastening means includes firstpatches 46 affixed to upper surface 34 of elongate members 30 and secondpatches 48 affixed to the telephone. First patches 46 include hookmaterial whereas second patches 48 include pile material (not shown) ina manner whereby the pile and hook material are detachably attachable toone another. The hook and pile material or patches 46 and 48 arecommonly known as Velcro®. This complimentary fastening means allows fordetachably attaching telephone 22 to the support wall of apparatus 20and effectively prevents telephone 22 from inadvertently falling off ofapparatus 20.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the support wall formed bysurfaces 34 and edges 32 is preferably at an angle of 15 to 45 degreesfrom the vertical or from the side rail vertical bars 16. In thisfashion, a telephone 22 of the style depicted in those figures is bestaccommodated. In this regard, so as to further aid the support of thatstyle of telephone, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, side walls 28further include support fingers 50 extending away from the support walland around the lower portion of telephone 22. In this manner, becausethe support wall is at an angle with respect to the horizontal, fingers50 aid in retaining telephone 22 on the support wall and in a positionas shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-6, the support wall formed by edges32 and surfaces 34 is generally horizontally disposed. In this fashion,a telephone style as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can better be accommodated.Nevertheless, all of the attributes and benefits provided in theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 are also provided by this embodiment.Substantially the only difference between this embodiment and that ofFIGS. 1-3 is that the sidewalls 28 are somewhat differently shaped sothat the support wall supporting telephone 22 is horizontally disposed.Furthermore, fingers 50 are not provided in the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6since they are not needed to prevent telephone 22 from slippingdownwardly.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-9, the apparatus 20 is adapted fordetachably attaching only to a bed side rail horizontal bar member 14.In this embodiment, a pair of side walls 52 each generally having ashape of a "C" and incorporating a slot 54 are provided. Slots 54include an edge 56 adapted to frictionally engage horizontal bar 14. Itis noted that slots 54 are slightly smaller in cross section thanhorizontal bar 14 such that a positive frictional engagement can beprovided. Additionally, side walls 52 are made of a somewhat flexiblematerial such as polyethylene or reprocessed high density polyethylenefor expanding and slipping over horizontal bar 14 and for providing saidfrictional engagement.

A support wall 58 extends between side walls 52 and is attached to eachof side walls 52 by screws, adhesive, or other suitable fastening means(not shown). The upper surface 60 of support wall 58 provides a surfacewhereupon telephone 22 may be supported. As with the embodiments shownin FIGS. 1-6, complimentary fastening means are provided between supportwall 58 and telephone 22 for detachably attaching telephone 22 to thesupport wall 58. In the preferred embodiment, hook and pile patches 46,48 are affixed to the telephone and to the support wall as depicted inthe drawings and in a manner where the pile and hook materials aredetachably attachable to one another so that the telephone may bedetachably attached to the support wall 58.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-9 is preferably used in situations wherethe side rail horizontal bar 14 is elliptic in cross section as shown inFIG. 8. In this regard, the side wall slots 54 are preferably madeelongate as shown to conform to the horizontal bar elliptic crosssection shape and so that apparatus 20 can support telephone 22 withoutpotential inadvertent turning about the longitudinal axis of horizontalbar 14.

Like the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6, the apparatus of FIGS. 7-9 will alsosupport the telephone 22 on a flat horizontal surface such as a tablewhen detached from the side rail 12. In this regard, side walls 52 eachinclude a lower flat edge 62 which together form a flat plane adapted toengage a horizontal surface and support telephone 22 thereon whendetached from the bed side rail 12.

It is noted that in all the above embodiments, the preferred materialfor making or forming apparatus 20 is a plastic: such as polyethylene orreprocessed high density polyethylene. Additionally, the various partsof apparatus 20 such as side walls 28, elongate members 30, horizontalbracket member 40, support wall 58 and side walls 52 can be formedseparately for assembly or integrally together by molding or injectionmolding. As can be appreciated, injection molding these various partstogether would decrease costs of manufacturing and such construction iscontemplated as part of the present invention.

While the invention has been described as having specific embodiments,it will be understood that it is capable of further modification. Thisapplication is, therefore, intended to cover any variations, uses, oradaptations of the invention following the general principles thereofand including such departures from the present disclosure as come withinknown or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertainsand fall within the limits of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for detachably attaching to a bedside rail and supporting a telephone, the bed side rail including ahorizontal bar and a vertical bar, said apparatus comprising:a pair ofside walls, each side wall having a slot adapted for selectivelyreceiving the horizontal bar; a support wall extending between said sidewalls for supporting a telephone thereon; and, means vertically belowsaid side wall slots for contacting the bed side rail vertical bar,whereby said apparatus is detachably attached to the bed side rail byplacing the horizontal bar in said slots and said means in contact withthe vertical bar below the horizontal bar.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said side wall slots are generally V-shaped for wedginglyreceiving different size horizontal bars.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said support wall is generally horizontally disposed.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said support wall is at an angle of 15 to45 degrees from the side rail vertical bar.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said means further comprises a spring clamp adapted fordetachable attachment to the vertical bar.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5wherein said spring clamp is attached to a horizontal member extendingbetween and attached to said pair of side walls.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 6 wherein said side wall slots are generally V-shaped forwedgingly receiving different size horizontal bars.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said means is on a horizontal member extending betweenand attached to said pair of side walls.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1further comprising complementary fastening means between said supportwall and a telephone for detachably attaching the telephone to saidsupport wall.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said complementaryfastening means includes a first patch affixed to said support wall anda second patch affixed to the telephone, one of said patches includingpile material and the other including hook material, whereby said pileand hook materials are detachably attachable to one another.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 10 wherein said support wall includes a pair ofelongate members, each extending between and attached to said sidewalls, said first patch affixed to one of said elongate members.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein said support wall is generally horizontallydisposed.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said support wall is atan angle of 15 to 45 degrees from the side rail vertical bars.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein said side wall slots are generally V-shapedfor wedgingly receiving different size horizontal bars.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein said means further comprises a spring clampadapted for detachable attachment to the vertical bar.
 16. The apparatusof claim 15 wherein said side wall slots are generally V-shaped forwedgingly receiving different size horizontal bars.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein each of said side walls include a flat edge forsupporting a telephone on a flat horizontal surface when detached fromthe bed side rail.
 18. An apparatus for detachably attaching to a bedside rail and supporting a telephone, the bed side rail including ahorizontal bar, said apparatus comprising:a pair of side walls eachhaving a slot slightly smaller than a cross section of the horizontalbar and adapted to receive and frictionally engage said horizontal bar;a support wall extending between said side walls for supporting atelephone thereon; and, complementary fastening means between saidsupport wall and a telephone for detachably attaching the telephone tosaid support wall.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein saidcomplementary fastening means includes a first patch affixed to saidsupport wall and a second patch affixed to the telephone, one of saidpatches including pile material and the other including hook materialwhereby said pile and hook materials are detachably attachable to oneanother.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the horizontal bar iselliptic in cross sectional and said side wall slots are elongate andconform to the horizontal bar cross section shape.
 21. The apparatus ofclaim 18 wherein each of said side walls include a flat edge forsupporting a telephone on a flat horizontal surface when detached fromthe bed side rail.